VCU 33, No. 13 Alabama 32, halftime

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Two teams with similar offensive and defensive styles are clashing tonight in a nonconference game at Coleman Coliseum.

Is it any wonder that it's a one-point game at halftime?

VCU outscored No. 13 Alabama 8-2 in the last 4:37 and surged to a 33-32 halftime lead.

It's the first time this season the Crimson Tide has trailed at halftime.

The Rams (3-2), who went to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament last spring, have made only 11-27 shots from the field (1-8 from the perimeter), but they have made 10-13 free-throw attempts.

Alabama (6-0) has made 13-29 shots from the field (1-8 from the perimeter) and has made 5-9 free-throw attempts.

Both JaMychal Green and Trevor Releford missed the front end of one-and-one free-throw opportunities late in the half.

Is it any wonder these two teams have similar styles? Third-year Alabama coach Anthony Grant previously coached for three years at VCU.

VCU coach Shaka Smart never has coached with Grant, but both have served as assistant coaches under Florida coach Billy Donovan and under Dan Hipsher, now an assistant on Grant's staff.

JaMychal Green (hip) and Tony Mitchell (ankle) both started for the Crimson Tide, but each left the game briefly with an injury and later returned. Mitchell appeared to twist his ankle and sat out for a little more than four minutes. He still led the Tide with eight points in 11 minutes.

Green had five points and a game-high eight rebounds in 15 minutes, but he went out with 8:06 left and returned three minutes later.